This wedding is all about amazing moments. Stop-you-in-your-tracks, jaw-droppingly gorgeous amazing moments. Like when the world’s cutest ring bearer ran happily down the aisle with his “Here Comes the Bride” sign… or when the stunning Mr. and Mrs. laughed lovingly while saying their vows. And then there’s the moment that the Father of the Bride surprises everyone with a fireworks show in honor of his daughter and new son-in-law, which is beyond awesome. (Beyond.) Even better? Binaryflips Photography was on hand to capture every last love-filled memory and you can see them all in the full gallery. Join me there for sooo much more.
From the Bride… My husband, Kevin, and I are both from Chicago, so choosing Sarasota for our wedding may have seemed like an odd choice but we both have close connections to the city. My parents moved from Chicago to escape the cold winters about three years ago and chose their new home in Sarasota at The Oaks Club. Coincidentally, my husband’s parents have owned a winter home on a very nearby island called Casey Key for five years close to where Kevin’s Dad grew up and joined The Oaks not long after my parents.
The Oaks provided the perfect backdrop for our “destination” wedding. Besides wanting the guaranteed warm and sunny Florida weather, we loved the plantation feel of the club, from the long driveway under the hanging moss, to the view of the clubhouse over the pond on the 18th hole. We also were set on having a tented wedding because what’s the purpose of having a wedding in a warm climate if you can’t enjoy it! We kept with the preppy, Southern theme by having our groomsmen dress in classic navy blazers with cream pants while the bridesmaids wore matching navy J.Crew dresses and gold sandals. Our two ring bearers looked adorable in seersucker jackets with matching shorts and finished their look with specially made bow ties that matched the groom’s tie.
Instead of tented place cards we decided to tie mini gold compasses to name tags to guests could “find their seat.” When ushered into our tent, everyone moved past our wedding cake stand which displayed mini key lime tartlets. As everyone sat down and my Dad and Mom welcomed the crowd, we all raised a mini-Pilsner glass filled with beer. Following was the most incredible, over-the-top, amazing moment of my life. My Dad finished his award-winning speech (side note: he hates public speaking) with the words, “May your future be bright with hope, let the brightness begin and the sky light up.” All of a sudden, FIREWORKS shot up over our clear tent to Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” I was in complete and utter shock… I was crying, laughing and overwhelmed by what was going on. My parents had planned this amazing fireworks show and managed to keep this a surprise from everyone, including me. There were even heart shaped fireworks and the show kept going on and on to amazing music. My husband and I truly felt like the luckiest people alive and when my parents came over, we couldn’t find any words to explain how amazing it was. That moment will stick with us for the rest of our lives!
The rest of the night went just as Kevin and I wanted. We were surrounded by the best family and friends, the dance floor was packed all night, we drove a golf cart through the aisle of sparklers and then returned to our after-party where we made sure to eat our late night munchies and dance until we were the last people standing.
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Wedding Photography: Binaryflips Photography | Wedding Venue: The Oaks Club in Sarasota, Florida | Wedding Design + Coordination: Maria Brady from Choreographed Events | Wedding Cinematography: Studio 26 Weddings | Floral Design: Tiger Lily Flowers | Lighting: Affairs in the Air | Linens: Linens by the Sea | Music: Jay Goodley Entertainment | Tent Rental: US Tent Rental | Invitations: Write On Sarasota | Fireworks Display: Pyrotecnico FX | Hair + Makeup: Ana Molinari